Friend Zone
by smiley-faces-1.25.96
Summary: Rosalie Hale and Emmett McCarty have been best friends since they popped out of the womb. It's only natural that she fell in love with him, right? How are things when she's stuck in the friend zone and everyone knows it except for Emmett? AU/AH/Kinda OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Rosalie's Point**

Emmett McCarty. My best friend. I've known him, literally, my whole life. We were close and nothing could break our bond. Nothing. Not even his nasty thing he calls his girlfriend. I watched as Miranda, his thing, walked passed my lunch table. She had a sway in her hips that made her whole body move, which should tell her that she was doing to much. She darted her eyes at me with a nasty glare before walking up to Emmett.

He looked at her and smiled. My heart sank. Sadly, I was in love with my best friend. Bad idea, maybe. But look at him. He was a man's man. He was the strongest guy I knew, and we lived in a pretty small town. Falls, Texas. This was the last day of school this year and Emmett should be sitting here with me, but his thing calls upon him. My friend, James, sat next to me.

"Why the long face, princess?" he asked, his lisp strong.

"Miranda..." I groaned quietly.

"C'mon, Rose. She's only jealous of you. You're super close to Emmett and she's not. You'll be fine."

"You're right," I said, looking at him. "Not eating today, Jimmy?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I'm not really in the mood for cafeteria food today."

Just then, Tomas, Jimmy's boyfriend, sat across from him. "Hey guys."

Tomas was the manly one of the relationship. I remembered when he first transferred here to Falls High. All of the girls, including Miranda, were trying to get into his pants. James had hid him once. That's how they met. They hung out for a while after that, and soon, Tomas accidentally kissed James... and here we are now.

"Rosalie..." James said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked.

"Sleepover tonight?"

"Can't. I may have plans with Emmett. What about this weekend?" I mumbled.

"Okay... sounds good."

The bell rang and we got up to go to class. James and Tomas walked me to my class and went off to their math class. I sighed. They were the lucky ones.

"Hey, Rosebud," I heard a familiar voice say.

"Em..." I replied.

"You don't look very happy. What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I answered.

"Okay..." he sighed, letting me know he didn't believe me. "Are we still on for a ride tonight?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

Every week, Emmett and I took our horses out on a ride through the enormous ranch our familes own. It's kind of our thing. Except, Miranda has managed to steal that away from me for two whole months.

"Great. Do you mind if Miranda comes?" he asked.

I lost my smile. Was he seriously asking me that? Was he crazy? "Are you serious right now?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Ride's off," I managed to say as the teacher walked in and the bell rang.

"Good afternoon, class," Mrs. Jackson said. "Everyone should be finished with the book, right?" There were quiet murmers from the class. "Great. You guys can do whatever today. Just don't get too loud. I'll get in trouble."

"What do you mean the ride's off?" he asked.

"Miranda? Are you kidding me? That's our time, Em. You know it. You wanna take Miranda for a ride? Fine, but leave me out of it."

I partly closed myself off to him. I started to tap quietly on the desk as my irritation slowly grew. That's when he put his hand on mine. Everything stopped. The noise, the beating of my heart, my breathing, and all rational thinking went straight out the window.

"Rosalie... I'm sorry. Please don't cancel the ride... I love our weekly rides and you know it. Don't hang it up because I'm being stupid. I'm sorry, Rosebud..."

I exhaled sharply, but seemed to take no breath in. I managed to nod as my cheeks started to warm up. "I forgive you..." I was doomed before I started. He was forgiven before he apologized. Bastard. His hand slid off of mine and I felt saddened.

"Are you still sleeping over?" he asked.

"I can. No after plans with Miranda, like last time?" I asked.

"Nope. I promise. It's just me and you tonight."

**Emmett's Point**

I watched as Rosalie rode ahead and stopped at the top of the hill. Jasper Hill, we named it, teasing her brother, Jasper Hale... it was funny when we were eight.

She looked beautiful with the sunlight shining through her blonde hair. It was a wonder why she hadn't had a boyfriend in years. Unless she has had boyfriends, and she hasn't told me. Which is highly unlikely. She tells me everything.

"Hurry up, slowpoke! You're gonna miss the sundown!" she yelled, her southern accent, that I loved about her, thick.

I sometimes wish that Miranda had that southern accent. She was from Wisconsin, though. She didn't have the country twang, like the rest of us. I sighed as my mind went back to lunch. Miranda and I had gone back to her car and made out the whole lunch period.

I made it up the hill just as the sky started it's color change. There was beautifully mixed purples and pinks and blues and oranges and reds and rainbows. It was like a soft explosion all over a canvas. I looked over at Rosalie who was petting Prince, her white horse. She named him Prince because he reminded her of a fairytale horse. She was eight.

"Rosebud?" I asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Why don't you like Miranda?" I asked, knowing that I couldn't take it back.

She shrugged. "It wasn't very nice to me when it first came to Falls. Then it tried to be friends with me to get close to you, but I'm not as dumb as it thought. Then you got together with it and it's always trying to compete with me for some reason. I don't know why, but it's getting really annoying lately. It won't let you hang out with me; our rides are even secret nowadays..." she trailed off.

"She, not it."

"It."

"What do you mean, 'she doesn't let me hang out with you?'"

"Emmett... you stopped having lunch with me. Miranda. We stopped hanging out at my house. Miranda. We stopped hanging out at your house. Miranda. We stopped going out, like to the movies, or the mall, or whatever. Miranda. Even this ride, which is our one sacred thing, it has taken away from me. We haven't ridden in two months. Two months."

She started riding off and dust flew up as I watched her flake off in the distance. Our last ride was two months ago? I started riding back towards the house I lived in on the ranch. I put my horse back in his stall and walked inside my house. I bounded up the stairs to my room and looked at the calendar. Two months. Rosalie was right. And that wasn't it. I missed her birthday. I hadn't even thought about her. _On her birthday, I ditched her for Miranda._

I fell back on my bed, pissed off at myself. My leg started shaking with frustration. I felt my phone vibrate and I knew that it was Miranda. I didn't answer and it immediately started ringing again. I picked up and picture of Miranda and I and threw it against the wall. I looked out my window and into the room across from it. Rosalie was standing there, staring at me. I looked at my feet. When I looked back up, her curtain was closed.

I took a black sharpie and wrote 'I'll make it up to you.' on the slate the we used to communicate. I propped it up on my window and closed my curtain, turning out my light. Early night tonight. I wasn't gonna wait for Rose to come over, because I knew there was no chance of it. But, as the unexpected always happens, there was a knock at my door. I got up and opened the door, seeing Rosalie with all her sleepover stuff.

"Don't worry about it," she said.

I looked at her stunned. My eyes followed her as she swayed into my room. My phone started buzzing on my nightstand again. Rosalie's eyes slanted towards it. As she was closer to the phone than I was, she answered it before I could snatch it up.

"Hello?" she asked. Her face took on an expression of complete irritation. "I'm here because I can be. Also, I have him strapped to a bed, so you'll have to call him back." She closed the phone and tossed it to me. "Problem solved."

I stared at her and kind of laughed. "So what do you wanna do, then?"

"I don't know..." she said.

"Old man's got a truck in there needin fixin'..." I said softly.

"You read my mind," she replied with a smile.

Of course I did. That was her second favorite thing to do in the entire world. "Let's get to it."

We headed out to the main garage and looked at my stepfather's old rusty truck. Rose's eyes kind of twinkled when she saw it. I knew that I had made up for it in her eyes, but, I still needed to do more. Rosalie was my weakness. She was like... the only sibling I truly had. I was an only child, not counting Carlisle's son, Edward. He was my stepbrother.

"Work your magic, Rosebud," I told her.

She walked to get the tools and popped the hood. We spent the rest of the night working on Carlisle's truck while we joked and laughed like we used to back in the great old days.


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N:) This is just so that I'm clear with people on everything and such. I don't own Twilight. Miss Stephanie does. Yadda yadda yadda. Blah blah blah. Boom goes the dynamite. And Yeah. So. I'm only putting this disclaimer once. Because I think it's stupid to put these in every chapter. I'm not criticizing those who choose to. That's your choice and this is mine. (: Well, since now I can't get sued for "trying to steal Twilight" cause who would put it up on a FANFICTION SITE and try to steal it? Seriously? But without further more chit chat, here's what you've been waiting for. Read and review (:**

**Emmett**

The next day, Rosalie left to go with her brother to California. She was supposed to be back by the end of the summer. I missed her already. My phone started to ring.

"Miranda..." I sighed. "This is starting to get annoying."

"I'm sorry, Emmy, but that witch scared the shit out of me..." she whined.

"What did you just say?" I asked.

"Rosalie scared the shit out of me."

"That's not what you said."

"Emmett, stop. I'm not doing this with you today. So, meet me at my place in thirty? My parents are gone, my brother is gone, and I'm here all alone," she said, her voice sounding sexy as fuck.

"I see. Well, what are you wearing?" I asked.

"Well, since I know that you'll be here in half of an hour, I'm only wearing my bra and panties..." she said, trailing off.

"Yeah? What color?" I asked, the area below my stomach tightening.

"Hot pink."

And now it's gone. I hated when she wore that. She has the same sets of lingerie and panties and bras but they were in various colors. I could tolerate the other colors, but that hot pink... gross. I got in my car and started driving anyway, because, hey, I'm still a guy, and we love sex. Of course i was going over. "I see. And are you sure that I'll be coming?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure that you will be, because I know just how you like it."

"Easy now, Miranda... wouldn't want me to get into a car accident."

"Mmm, say my name like that again, Emmett."

"Miranda... you're doing that voice again..."

"You better be speeding on the little road of yours," she growled and hung up.

I took a 'wrong turn' and went right when I was supposed to go left. I decided that I didn't want sex after all. I wanted my best friend back, so I started heading towards Bluebird. Rosalie and I adored that diner, as well as the people who worked there.

When I walked in, I was greeted by waiters and waitresses and sat at Rose and I's usual table in the back. Seth started walking by the table. I pounded the table and looked up at him.

"It's your dad's birthday today, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered with a nod.

I stood up and walked to the bar, looking back for the talented cook of the diner. "Heya, Pops! Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, kid. Get back to your table. I'm already working on your order. Is the little lady here with you?"

"Nope. She went with Jasper to California for the summer."

"What about Miss 'I'll Have A Salad'?"

I laughed. "Nope. Miranda's not here, either."

"Just the old man today, then, huh?"

"Yep. Talk to ya later, Pops."

He nodded and I sat back down at the table. His name was Harry, but we just called him Pops. It was a small town thing, I guess.

I smiled as Sue, Seth's mother, brought out my plate. "There you go, Emmett. Eat up!" she exclaimed as she walked away.

I looked down at my double bacon cheeseburger overflowing sea of french fries. I grabbed the throwback bottle of ketchup and started hitting the bottom of it to get the ketchup onto the plate. I started eating, appreciating the work of beauty that Pops always created for me in the kitchen. I paid no attention as the bell above the door sounded and a guy about my age walked in.

He sat at the table beside mine and Leah, Seth's sister, took his order.

"My name's Royce... Royce King," he said, thinking he was smooth.

I held back laughter as I knew what Leah was going to say.

"If you attempt to hit on me, I'll chop your penis off and have my father cook it in your food," she replied. She finished writing his order, smiled at him, and walked away.

"Are all the girls like that, here?" he asked.

I didn't answer until I figured out that he was speaking to me and not himself. "Nah, just her. She's pretty cool though."

"I see. Is that your girlfriend?" he asked, most likely referring to the picture of Rosalie and I in the collage on the window beside my table.

"Nope. She's my best friend."

"So she's up for grabs? Cause she's..." He whistled. "She looks like one fine piece of ass."

I wasn't about to lose my cool, but this King guy really just pissed me off with that last statement. How dare anyone say something like that about Rosalie? "Touch her, and there's about a hundred people that'll step in line to beat you with a branding rod."

"Is that a fact? Should I be scared?"

"You didn't let me finish. If you touch her, there will be about a hundred people that would step in line to beat you with a branding rod... and about a few hundred more lined up just to rip your every limb off of your perverted body and shove them down your perverted throat," I finished, seething. I stood up, having finished my food, and said a goodbye to Pops and Sue.

Before I stepped out, I heard Pops say to him, "It's true. Leave that one alone. That boy would be the first and last in both of those lines."

I got in my car and drove home, fighting the urge to drive around until I could catch him and running him over.

**Rosalie (**two months later**)**

I stepped into my house for the first time in two months. I had been in California the whole time, checking it out with Jasper, who would be living there for college. The first thing I needed to do was call Emmett. Maybe he wouldn't be to busy to come over and help me unpack. I picked up my cell and dialed his house. His mom answered after two rings, stating that he had just left for Bluebird.

I got in my car and started driving the five minutes to our favorite diner. I walked in, hearing the familar bell sound. I put a finger to my lips, so I could make it to the back without Emmett knowing it was me. I made it there just as he dipped his head to start eating and ignoring the world.

"Excuse me, sir, but your sitting at my table," I said.

His head snapped up and a piece of lettuce fell from his mouth. I laughed as he stood up and caught me in his strong bear hug. I put my head against his chest and wrapped my arms around him.

"Are you sure that you're the right Rosalie? I mean, my Rosalie had shorter hair than that, and her legs were certainly not that long... and... Damn, girl, you were only gone for two months!" he exclaimed.

I blushed as I realized that Emmett was looking at my legs. "A lot could happen in two months."

"Yeah," he replied. "You're right."

We let each other go and I sat across from him and he ocntinued eating. "So what happened in little old Falls while I was gone?" I asked.

"Not much. We got a new family that moved in. The Kings..." he said, with disgust lingering in his tone.

"You don't like them very much, do you?" I asked.

"I have to pee," he replied and left for the bathroom.

I looked up to see another person walking through the door. He looked at me and smiled, sitting at the table next to ours. I took a couple of french fries from Emmett's plate and ate them. Pops came out with a plate and set it in front of me.

"Here you go, little lady. On the house. Welcome home," he said with a smile at me and a warning glance at the guy a table away.

"Pops, Happy Birthday. I hope you don't think that I forgot, just because I wasn't here for it."

He smiled. "No problem, Rosalie." He walked back to the kitchen.

I looked down at the plate he had given me. Same as Emmett's, except, mine was a full plate. Emmett had eaten part of his. Speaking of Emmett, he sure is taking a long time in the restroom.

"Nice day, isn't it?" a voice asked.

I looked at the guy at the next table over. "I guess."

"My name's Royce. Royce King. I'm new in town."

"Cool..." I said, picking up my burger and taking a bite. Hopefully, he'd get the picture and stop talking to me. Emmett liked everybody, and if he didn't like this King family, then there was certainly a reason for it.

"So your name's Rosalie, huh?" he asked.

Emmett came out just then with two to-go boxes and handed me one. "We're leaving now, Rose."

"But, I haven't even eaten that much..." I kinda whined.

"I believe we have a ride to go on."

"Okay," I said, setting my burger in the box and dumping the french fries in as well.

He closed both boxes and we said quick goodbyes to everyone on our way out. When we arrived at the ranch, we went straight to the stables and I put a saddle on Prince. He put a saddle on his horse, Cobalt. We started riding, although it was already dark out. Night rides were always better than afternoon rides. The stars that you saw above the ranch were amazing. I slowed down a bit and watched Emmett ride his black horse to the top of Jasper Hill. He was so sweet looking in the moonlight. His dark curly hair was shining, his dimples were slightly visible because Emmett always had a smile on his face. Emmett. Always happy, always content. Always smiling. But if anyone got him angry. Emmett had it in him to...

Accidents happen. When Emmett got angry, he was unpredictable. He blacked out. He couldn't feel pain. He had no emotions. Except rage. I can always calm him down from those, but it's not always easy. I remember this one time...

No point on thinking in the past. I felt a hand on my arm and jumped a little. Emmett.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern lingering in his eyes.

"I'm fine, Em, why do you ask?" I replied.

"Because you stopped, so I knew you were thinking about something."

"Yeah, something."

"I really missed you, Rosalie," he said quietly.

"I missed you too, Em. I tried calling, but I guess they never got through."

"Rosebud?" he said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from that King guy..." he said.

"Why?"

"Just please?"

"Emmett, why?" I asked.

"For me?"

"Alright... even if you won't tell me why."

"He just... he doesn't seem right. He's... I don't know."

We started the ride back to the houses. I was getting tired. I kind of had to unpack, but we had school tomorrow and I wanted to sleep. I yawned. When we got to the stables, my eyes were starting to droop.

"Rosalie?" I heard Emmett's voice coming through the haze.

"Hmm?" I returned.

I felt myself lifted off the horse and set on something hard. A bucket? I leaned my head against the wooden support of the stable and waited. I felt like I was being lifted all over again and I rested my head against the moving figure. Emmett. I heard sounds, he was taking me somewhere, and I was put on something soft. Whether it was his bed or my bed, I'm not sure, but my shoes found their way off and Emmett beside me. Emmett's bed, I concluded. The last thing I heard was a 'Goodnight, Rose,' and felt Emmett's hard body behind me. Then I fell asleep.

**Emmett**

Rosalie looked to peaceful to disturb. I knew that no one would mind if I brought her over here to sleep. It was her first day back, our parents probably expected this. She was now sleeping right beside me in my bed. Farther than Miranda's ever gotten with me. I've been in hers but she's never even step foot on the ranch. Rose would kill me. She would hate me. Then where would I be? I couldn't live without my best friend.

I had the strange urge to put my arms around Rosalie while she slept. I wanted to feel her close against me. I shook the feeling. I didn't know where it had came from. Maybe it was one of those brotherly protective instincts. Like Royce King would come and snatch her away from me. I dare that jackass to step a foot behind that ranch gate. He would be shot on sight. Okay, maybe not shot, but Carlisle sure wouldn't protest me kicking his weak little ass.

I sure missed Rosalie a lot this summer. More than I would usually. It was weird. She looked so different when I saw her in the diner. I don't know what happened. She seemed to mature even more than she already had. She had those killer legs that she didn't have before. I sighed. Again, with the thoughts. Rosalie was almost like family. I couldn't even think that way. It was weird. I shouldn't be thinking so much anyways. Time for bed. School tomorrow... ugh.

**Ooh, drama? Anyways. (: What'dya think? Pretty good stuff? Review it. And well, if this was total crap or crappy in anyway, instead of just saying, "Your writing is kinda bad!" say "Your writing is kinda bad. You should try..." whatever. Kay? Three cheers for constructive criticism? I haven't gotten any flames, but this is just for those who don't like it, ya know? Oh, and, for about, oh... six weeks, I'll be updating only on weekends, because I have this... thing. But, I will write as much as I can so that I CAN update every weekend, kay? Well, until next chapter...**

**xx**

**Azhane'**


	3. Chapter 3

**Emmett's Point**

When I woke up, I saw a rolling wave of a sun ray. When my eyes adjusted, I realized that it was only Rosalie's hair.

"Waking up sucks..." she groaned.

I found myself smiling at exactly how fucking cute she was. Especially when she woke up. "Agreed."

"Why are you staring at me with that funny smile?" she asked.

I stopped smiling when I figured out that I was staring at Rosalie while smiling like an idiot. "What are you talking about?" I got up, put a shirt on, and walked into my bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror. My short, curly hair was a little messy. My cheeks were a little... flushed?

My cheeks hadn't looked that red since I was about ten. I was with Rosalie. We were both riding Cobalt, her in front of me, because her arm and wrist were broken, she couldn't put Prince's saddle on, nor hold the reigns.

It was a warm summer. I remember Rosalie's smile that day. She hadn't smiled like that since. She looked up at me with her big, beautiful blue eyes, I was a few inches taller than her small figure. She had her right arm around my neck; her left was injured.

"Does this make you my wife?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"I don't know..." she whispered.

"Well, in all of my cowboy stories, the husbands and wives ride like this..." I explained.

"Well, I guess this means we're married," she replied with a smile.

I matched that smile of hers with my own. "Cool. I should probably find you a ring, then."

She giggled and looked back up at me. After pausing, she gently placed a tiny kiss on my cheek. I felt my cheeks warm up and I knew that I would love this girl forever.

Things don't always work out that way you want them to. Who am I kiddin'.

Things _never _ work out the way you want them to.

**Rosalie's Point**

I stared at my left hand, the ring that Emmett gave me when we were ten. We were supposed to be husband and wife. I'm eighteen now, and I have almost lost all hope in it.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I didn't recognize the number. I answered it, thinking that Jasper had finally gotten a new phone.

"Jasper?" I asked.

"Who's Jasper? Is this Rosalie?" the voice asked. Whoever they were, they sounded familiar.

"Speaking..." I replied, wondering exactly who this was.

"This is Royce... from the diner?" he said.

"Uh, hey? How'd you get my number?" I asked.

"My cousin, Miranda... Hey, listen, we didn't get off on the right foot... um, I'm not really good at the whole introduction thing, but, I'd like to take you out sometime..."

I stared at the ceiling confused. "Miranda?"

"Emmett's girlfriend?"

"Ah, uh, can I call you back?"

"Sure..." he said, with a tone that said he doubted I would, but I hung up anyway, setting my phone down on the nightstand.

"THAT BITCH!" I yelled after three minutes.

Emmett's head peeked out of the bathroom. "What? Why are you yelling?" he asked.

"That _thing_ you call your girlfriend," I said, seething.

He rolled his eyes. "What now?"

"Well, Mr. Eye Roller, she just happened to forget to tell you that her cousin had moved to Falls recently. Or that she just gave him my number. OR that he's Royce fucking King!"

His face hardened. "What did you just say?"

"Royce King. Miranda's cousin. Newest recipient of my number. Thanks to Miranda."

He pulled his face out and looked at it. The look in his face gave away who it was. He answered it. "We need to talk." He shot me a glance and then climbed on top of his bed and looked out the window. I joined him at the window and I wanted to punch it through.

Miranda stood at the right of a shiny black car, talking animatedly into a cell phone. I could definitely hear the tone of her voice. Whiny. Inside the the car sat Royce at the steering wheel. The Royce who has my number. The Royce who now knows where I live. All because of Miranda.

He knows where I live now, Em." We looked at each other. His eyes softened. I heard Miranda ask if he was still there. "I want to kill her slowly and painfully."

"Rosalie..." Emmett started.

"What?" I asked coldy, immediately regretting it when I saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Rosebud, I..." I sat back on the bed and pulled my knees up to my chin. "We'll be out," he said into the phone. "Rosalie, please hear me out. We'll hang out with them for only a little while. Check him out. You can use your amazing acting skills. Pretend to tolerate Royce. For me?"

I looked at my feet. Would I do anything for Emmett?

"You still have my drawer, right?"

Hell yes.

We were sitting in the food court at the mall. Royce had bought me food. Royce had held my hand. Royce had his arms around me this very minute. Was Royce really that bad of a guy? He's been the best gentleman today, almost better than Emmett. Could I really end up liking Royce?

I was sure that I could. He wasn't that bad of a guy. And, it would help me get over the unhealthy feelings that were hazardous to my relationship with Emmett. I leaned into Royce, feeling that this wasn't so bad after all.

Miranda had pulled Emmett into Hollister thinking that he'd actually like shopping with her. I knew that he'd actually wanna be here with Royce and I.

"So, I'm having fun with you right now, Rosalie," he said.

"I'm having fun with you too, Royce."

"I have a question..." he said shyly.

"Ask it."

"Would it be that bad, if I kissed you right now?" he asked.

I thought about it, looking at his lips. Usually I didn't kiss anyone on the first date. I haven't really kissed anybody. Except Emmett, and that was once or twice or several times on the cheek. Doesn't really count. Because he wasn't in love with me like I was in love with him.

"Sure, I mean, why not?" I said softly, more to myself, than to Royce.

He lowered his head as he tilted mine up.

"Rosalie?"


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N:) ****I freaking love you guys. I love your guts. Every single one of you! :) Welp, since you guys are so great, I just might have to post two chappies this weekend, eh? Sound good to you guys?**

**Emmett's Point**

Rosalie sat there, inches away from Royce's face, looking up at me, shocked. I knew that I had asked her to go along with everything today, but I didn't want her to go this far. I wanted to take Rosalie home. I wanted to take her far away from him. I didn't like this guy, not everything seemed put together about him.

Miranda tried to link her arm through mine, but I shrugged her off absent mindedly. I continued to stare at Rosalie. She wasn't moving. I was getting more angry by the seconds. I didn't know what made me more angry. That Rosalie wasn't trying to move away from Royce or that Royce was about to kiss the girl I loved most.

_The girl I loved most?_ Was I jealous? _The girl I loved most. _The girl that I loved the most. More than Miranda. More than anyone. She was everything to me, and everyone knew it. Miranda even knew it. I didn't realize it until now. How could I not realize it until now?

I was in love with Rosalie.

From the looks of it, Rosalie was starting to like Royce. My anger started to subside. How could I have been so blind? How could I have not noticed? I wasn't angry anymore. I was sad. I wanted to cry for the first time in nine years. I looked at my boots and started walking away.

What was I to do, with a sudden realization, suddenly too late?

Was it too late?

What if I told her...

How would she react?

**Rosalie's Point**

My eyes followed Emmett as he stalked down the hallway. He looked upset. I wanted to figure out why, but I was stopped by a small frame in my way. Miranda.

"This is all your fault, you bitch," it said.

"What?" I asked.

"You just steal my boyfriend like it's a contest or something."

"Miranda, you whore, Emmett's not a trophy to be won. He's my best friend. And I didn't steal him. I knew him first. It's not like we're messing around, we're just hanging out."

"I'm the whore? You're the one who is getting all close on my cousin."

I looked back at the guy I left sitting at the table. He was looking up suddenly, as if he was realizing that I was turning around. He was looking at my ass. I knew that he was. I wanted to beat him with the banister of the escalators. Even if that's not possible.

"Can you take me home?" I asked Royce.

He shrugged. "Sure."

We got up and walked out to his car, his arm was around me, a little too low, right above my ass. We drove in silence and I didn't even bother to mention a goodbye to him as I walked into my house and I said nothing to my parents as I walked up to my room. I just laid down on my bed and cried. I cried my eyeballs out all night and into the morning, struggling to get ready for school. I managed to stop crying so my parents or the kids at school wouldn't ask questions, but it was no use when it came to Emmett.

The worried look lingered in his eyes as he drove us to the first day of school. He didn't say anything to me as the clock ticked off the first five minutes of the drive.

"Rosebud?" he asked.

"Hmm?" I asked, trying to keep my tone regular, but it broke, betraying my hopes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied shortly.

"Cut it," he said. "Your eyes are clearly red, and your voice is breaking in and out. Tell me what's wrong..."

We pulled into the parking lot and he parked in the usual parking space, turning the car off. "You really wanna know?" I asked so quiet that he strained to hear me.

"Of course, Rosalie."

"I'm in love with you, Emmett, and I can't get over you. I'm trying, but yesterday, the look in your eyes..."

I paused. Thinking that this was a good place to stop talking, I got out of the car and bolted to get my schedule, planning to avoid Emmett as much as possible. Okay, so I may deal with my problems slightly irrationally, but hey, don't judge.

I realize that I have royally fucked shit up with my best friend in three very major ways. One. I took it way too far with Royce. I didn't even know anything about the guy. Two. I had told Emmett that I loved him. Once you say that, you can never, ever, take it back. And, three. I had run away from him seconds after telling him that I loved him. He hates when I run away. He only wants to help me, I know, but I didn't wanna be there for the look of humor on his face, because somehow, I knew that Emmett didn't love me. The way that I love him, I mean. I'm just a little sister to him. That's all. I hate it!

I slammed my fist into an open locker, denting it a small bit.

Why the fuck must everything be so damn complicating?

I mumbled an apology to the person who owned the locker that I just took my frustration out on. It surprised me to see that it was Royce's locker.

"Hey, Rosalie," he said. He looked happy to see me.

"Hi..." I mumbled, checking over my shoulder for Emmett.

"Let me walk you to class?" he asked.

"No thanks, Royce. Uh, I'm not in that good of a mood."

He nodded. "Alright. See you." He placed a kiss on my cheek and I shivered. Not the good kind of shiver either. The one that sort of disgusts you. Only kind of.

"Rosalie, just let me talk to you for just a minute," an all too familiar voice said.

"What, Emmett? Am I supposed to listen to you break my heart in front of me? Am I supposed to listen to you while you tell me that you don't love me the same way that I love you? No, thanks, I already know."

I turned to leave, but I felt his hand grab my arm. If it had been anyone but my best friend, they would have been dead. He pulled me to our place. A hideaway just beneath the stairs. He shut the door behind us, after making sure that no one was watching.

"Emmett," I started, but his lips were already on mine. They were nice and gentle, but I was too confused to enjoy it. He pulled away and I assumed that he was looking at me directly in the eyes; it was too dark to see his eyes, but just light enough to see his face.

"Rosalie," he said softly. "You ramble on about the wrong things." He put his forehead against mine. "I've been in love with you forever... I just haven't realized it yet. But I realize it now."

"So, what? Is everything supposed to be solved now? Everything? Wrong. There's Miranda... there's Royce... Eww! You just kissed me with the mouth you used to kiss Miranda with!"

"Should I apologize for that?" he asked, amused.

"You should be waiting on my hand and foot, giving me my needs and desires, for that." He raised one eyebrow. "Not sexual desires..." Both eyebrows. "Okay, maybe a little. You're such a fucking guy! Plus, we're off subject. Things aren't just gonna fix themselves, Emmett. There's Miranda, there's Royce... Emmett..."

He pulled me in for a hug. "We'll just keep it secret for a while then," he replied softly, sounding resolved.

I sighed. His resolved voice meant his decision was made. I once told him that I would support all of his decisions. This one, I loved it. I hated it. But, there isn't enough hate to make me give up Emmett McCarty. Not enough hate in the world at all. Period.

**Emmett's Point**

There's no going back now. So far, our secret's been good. She's still weasling in to check out Royce for me. Miranda isn't suspecting anything. I can't quite get rid of her yet. I don't know why. There's supposed to be something going wrong. I was ready for whatever it was. I would do it.

Rosalie met my eye across the room and smiled her perfect smile. I've finally let it off my chest. I loved her. With all my heart.

I noticed whenever I held her hand that she still has my ring after eight years. She's worn it everyday for eight years. That's like 2,920 days. That's like 70,080 hours. That's like... you get it. But it's a really long time. If I would have only noticed before. I wonder if she noticed the necklace she gave me around my neck everyday. I keep it back under my shirt so that Miranda doesn't ask questions, but I wear it everyday. It was important to me.

Royce was sitting beside Rosalie in the front of the room. I wanted to let it go, but the way he looked at her... especially when she wasn't looking... It was like she were just another bang. Rosalie isn't just another bang. She's... way, way, way, better than that.

When she was looking, though, it was a look that said so many things. 'I love you,' 'You're everything to me,' and a bunch of other cliche things. I wanted to punch his jaw so far in that he'd be shitting it out. Doucheflake.

Rosalie looked back up at me and smiled. She mouthed something... Partner? I nodded in case that was what it meant. She started to get up, as most of our class did, but Royce pulled her back to him. He said something, but she pointed in my direction. He looked to me, royally pissed off, it was evident in his eyes, but let her go. She bounded towards me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hi, Emmett," she said softly with a shy smile.

"Hey there," I replied as she sat next to me.

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Still my ride home?"

I grabbed her hand. "Of course." This was okay, because we were in the back and the table was blocked in the front.

Royce would look up here every few minutes. Ah. Maybe he was suspecting something. Good. Something's finally working out the way it should. Then Miranda walked in and those feelings went to shit. I knew that she was gonna walk up here, but I was still hesitant to let go of her hand.

She was a few paces from the table. I knew that Rosalie was trying to pull her hand away, but I just couldn't let go. Her skin felt so soft and... right in my hand. Miranda stopped in front of the table.

"Hey, Emmy," she said smiling.

"Why are you here, Miranda?" I asked. "And don't call me that."

"Well, I haven't seen you all day... I hope you're not..." She looked at Rosalie with an expression of disgust. "I hope your not avoiding me."

I fought to roll my eyes, while Rosalie actually did. I stared at her for a second. "I've been busy," I replied with a smile.

She rolled her eyes at me and walked out of the classroom. I annoyed the fuck out of her lately. And vice-versa. Rosalie offered a sympathetic smile to me, and I instantly felt a million times happier.

We started working on our project. Something about waves and construction and deconstruction. It sounded pretty stupid to me, but, oh well. We ended up getting over halfway done, despite the fact that Rose had to keep me on track. I could literally feel Royce's eyes on me. Rosalie would stare his way every few minutes. Which is a good thing, except for a slight swelling of jealousy whenever she did it.

The day ended well, but I still kept thinking about the looks that Royce gives Rosalie. I wanted to... it's no use. It would be out of nowhere for everyone else, so it wouldn't be a good thing if I did.

Royce started walking Rosalie towards the car and I looked away. I was fighting the urge to watch the way Rosalie walked, because it was incredibly hot. But, ugh, this was so hard. not literally, but the situation. Everything about it. It was wrong. Entirely wrong. This could be disasterous...

She got in the car and I started it up. Royce asked her if she was sure that she didn't wanna give him a ride. When she turned him down, he said a quick goodbye and stalked off to his car.

"Hey," I said, pulling out of the parking lot.

"Hey," she replied.

"How was the rest of your day?"

"Do you mean the part that I didn't get to see you?"

I nodded, and she smiled. "Wasn't that good."

I found a small smile and held it. "Well, I'm sorry. Maybe I should pop randomly in your classes every once in a while."

"Maybe you should."

"There's probably not a good chance of that happening more than once or twice though."

"That's true. Don't do it, on second thought."

"Alright. I'll just spend most of my time out of school with you then."

"I'd like that."

"Me too."

We drove the rest of the way hand in hand and I couldn't think of better way to drive. I couldn't think of a better girl to be with. How could anyone?

But something was itching at my brain. Something that didn't seem good. I knew that something was coming. I hate the wait, but I didn't know what it was. How could I stop it?

Was it something that could be stopped?


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N:) ****Sorry about not getting this chapter up this weekend. Busy, busy, busy. But anyways, Here it is. I'm giving you the next chapter to make up for it, and maybe a third... Not sure how much I'll get to write this week. But, without further ado...**

**Rosalie**

"Hey, Rosalie," he said.

Him. Royce. The more he was around me, the more I hated him. He was so annoying, always wanting to do things. I'm tired of doing things with him. I've had to cancel more rides than I have fingers (and toes) and Emmett was trying his best to say that it's not upsetting him, but I know that it is. He's looking sadder everyday. Sooner or later, I'd have to tell Royce.

"Hi..." I replied into the phone, trying my best to sound tired.

"Did I wake you?" he asked.

"Gee, Royce, it's four in the morning, why would I be tired? It's not like humans need eight hours of sleep to function..." I grumbled.

"I was just thinking that instead of you riding with Emmett to school this morning, you could ride with me..."

"No... I don't think so..." I replied.

"But, Rosalie... I don't trust Emmett..."

"You don't trust him? I don't see why. He's my best friend."

"No, Royce."

"Babe..."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I mean Rosalie..."

I hung up. That wasn't cool. He shouldn't have let that slip... What do I do? I could 'sneak' over to Emmett's and lay with him... that would be a good thing to do, right? No... he'd automatically assume that I was in danger. It was four thirty. My parents would be gone right now. Almost out of Texas and into New Mexico. They only trusted me here alone because Emmett's house was a stone's throw away, literally. Emmett was staying over tonight, and that was something that I had been waiting for, but when I heard the small click of the door downstairs, I figured that he was sneaking over right now. I walked into the small bathroom attached to my room and closed the door.

I looked presentable. Well, presentable enough for a person who just got out of bed and was about to see their best friend/secret lover. When I walked out of the bathroom, nothing would have prepared me for whatever was going to happen next.

**Emmett**

Alarm clocks were so annoying, but still, I shushed it and got up. I didn't really feel like going to school, I would much rather stay with Rosalie in her empty house, but that wasn't very likely.

I got ready in the usual amount of time, but I felt a little off today. Something was wrong; something bad has happened. Or will happen. I don't know. I headed to Rosalie's house, but on her door, it said that she had taken a ride with Royce to school.

My heart sank.

No ride with Rosalie, because of Royce. At least I'd get to see her at school today.

"James?" I asked the shy boy.

\ I knew that he was gay, and that was part of the reason that he was so shy. He kept to himself, Rosalie, and his boyfriend Tomas, most of the time. Poor kid. He used to get beat up so much. I protected him as much as I could, when I could. But, there were a few that got to him.

He smiled up at me. "Hey, Emmett. Anything that I could do for you?"

"Do you know where Rosalie is? School's almost out for the day and I haven't caught the slightest glimpse of her..."

He frowned a little. "I haven't seen her at all..." Just then, Tomas approached us and saw the looks on our faces. "Tomas, have you seen Rose at all today?"

Tomas frowned a little. "No, but that King guy has had this smug look all over his face today... Have you checked her house? Is she at home?"

"I didn't check. When I went to get her this morning, I saw a note, it was her handwriting, and it said that she had taken a ride with Royce this morning to school... Something's wrong..."

I bolted for my car and managed to speed home without getting pulled over. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Luckily, I knew just where the Hale's hid the spare. I moved the '4' on the home address numbers and took the key, making sure to move it back into place. I unlocked the door.

She wasn't in the living room, kitchen, or anywhere downstairs for that matter. That meant she was in her room. Or her bathroom. I ran into her room and found her pushed up against a corner in her bathroom.

"Rosalie?" _She flinched. _She wouldn't look at me. She was still in her bra and panties, her hair was all messed up, and she looked purely frightened. Covering all of her arms and legs were bruises. She had hickeys all over her neck and I was turning furious very quickly. zzShe pressed herself more into the wall as I got closer. "Rosalie... it's okay..." I reached out for her. She whimpered a little more, and her frightened eyes met mine. Abandoned, lost, terrified, hurt, betrayal. All of these emotions swam in the irises of her deep blue eyes. I didn't know what to do. "Rosebud? It's me, Emmett..." I tried reaching for her again, and this time she seemed to realize that it was me, she held her arms around my neck fiercely, like a child that was truly afraid they would get swallowed up by shadows. She sobbed into my shoulder, shaking so hard that I barely managed to hold her to me. I rocked with her and cried into her hair, kissing her head and whispering that I would kill him. Making sure that he would suffer before his death, it would be slow and painful.

It wasn't hard to guess. He had raped her.

"Emmett..." she sobbed.

"Shh... you don't have to speak, if you don't want to..."

"Royce... he... he..."

"I know, baby, I know..." I was trying my best to be strong for her right now, but it was so hard. Her pain was killing me! It reached the very bottom of my being!

"And, he... he... friends..."

I stopped rocking. "He brought friends?"

She nodded and cried harder into my shirt. "And they all... all... Emmett..."

"Oh, baby... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry... I should have been here! I should have been here, baby... Oh god... I'm so sorry, Rosebud..."

I stayed with all night, as planned, but I didn't get that much sleep. She was limping everywhere she walked until I couldn't take it anymore. I made her stay in bed, unless she had to go to the bathroom or I carried her everywhere.

She told me that she wanted to go over to my house, so I carried her down the steps and into my house, up the steps and into my room, where we layed in my bed.

"Protect me..." she said drowsily.

I held her tighter against me. She wouldn't let me take her to the hospital. Only because she knew that Carlisle would be home any minute. I wondered if she was conjuring up ways to get by Carlisle with the bruises on her arms and legs, and even harder, getting by Esme.

Lucky for her, they weren't home. Well, okay, I guess that's not really lucky because right now Rosalie is a fucking walking bruise. I felt a tear slide down my cheek. Fucking traitors. I couldn't be strong for Rosalie if I couldn't be strong for myself.

"I promise you, Rosebud. I'm gonn fucking kill him. I promise," I said quietly.

"It's not worth it, Emmett. It's not worth it," she whispered.

Not worth it? How can Royce not be worth the ass-beating that he fucking deserved? I felt my hand start to shake. I was slipping. Losing control. If I didn't regain my composure, I'd for sure kill Royce, without hesitation, without even the slightest hint of mercy or pity. Without emotion. He deserved whatever did come to him, though. Every last bit of it. He wasn't going to get away with it. Ever.

Ever.

**(A/N:) Okay. So that was the chapter. I'm kinda sleepy right now, and I actually fell asleep while writing this. I feel bad, because this feels like a crappy chapter. I don't like it at all, but then again, who would like writing about a rape? Hence, the cutting out of the actual rape. That's too... I couldn't. So, yeah. Maybe another chapter... if I'm up to writing it. I'm so very tired and I need to catch up on sleep, so we'll see. Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Review, please.**

**xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N:) Don't blame me, blame the dog. She chews up everything- including laptop chargers. ._. So that's what happened. Everyone thank my beast of a best friend, Amanda, for letting me borrow her charger to bring this to you.**

**Rosalie**

Emmett wasn't asleep, I could tell. His breathing hadn't become regular and hushed. I wasn't asleep, but I was doing a good job pretending. I'd have Carlisle look at me in the morning. He's a doctor. Maybe he'll even keep this as a secret. Hopefully. I don't want everyone to know how weak I had been. I didn't want everyone to know that I had been... raped. Gang-raped. Five guys. I shivered slightly at the thought.

"Rose?" Emmett asked.

I didn't say anything in return. Esme might need to be convinced a little, but I know that she'll respect my wishes. Nobody can know. Ever. I don't wanna be smothered. I don't wanna be fragile. I'll play it off. I looked at my wrist. A bite mark. I closed my eyes in disgust. I wanted to hate every guy on the planet. I wanted to hate every single one of them. All they care about is sex and themselves.

Okay. That's not true. Carlisle doesn't think with his dick. Neither do Edward, nor Jasper, not Emmett. But maybe that's just the way they were raised. To treat women right. To _respect_ women. Not take advantage of them. I flinched. Emmett pulled me in tighter. I couldn't blame him.

I'm lucky, in a way. In a couple ways, actually. I didn't die, thankfully. Okay. That's it. I would say that I wasn't horribly traumatized, but that would be a lie. I thought back to when Emmett showed up in my room earlier. He called my name, and I flinched at the urgency in it. I flinched at the tone he used. I thought that Royce had come back.

Emmett wouldn't let that happen, I know but...

I'm terrified.

**(A/N:) Sorry it's so short. But I need to get everything back on track, and I just wanted to give an insight to Rosalie's thoughts on her rape.**

**Review.**

**xx**


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N:) Love my mom. With all your heart. She got me a new laptop charger. FOR THE WIN! Well. So we're at Chapter Seven. Even I don't know what's gonna happen. I'm just writing as I go. ^-^**

**Emmett**

Carlisle's brow raised as he gazed upon Rosalie. "Who did this to you?"

It was unnoticable to the others, but she pushed into me a tiny bit more. I clenched my jaw. "Royce King," I replied through gritted teeth.

Esme gasped. "I know that kid. He came in with a couple of his friends to the free clinic. They had minor cuts and bruises. I thought nothing of it..."

I felt pride swell a little in my heart knowing that Rosalie did a little damage herself. He was still in a world of pain, though. Those minor cuts and bruises she gave him will be miniscule in comparison to what he deserves and will inevitably get.

Esme went on. "They looked down-right smug about something. One of them got an uneasy feeling though. I thought he hated clinics... now I realize..."

"Realize what?" Carlisle asked.

"Realize that he saw the picture that I have of Rose and Em on the wall."

"This isn't important. I just needed to be looked at. Carlisle, can you determine some kinda... pain killers, or something? I fell off of Prince when I went for a ride. That's the story and I'd like it if we all stuck to it. I'd hate it if my parents or Jasper heard. I don't want to feel weak, okay?" Rose said quietly.

Everyone nodded, shocked by her plea.

"I'm not weak. I wasn't raised weak," she said even quieter.

I kissed her lightly on the forehead to assure her. "You're the strongest person I know, Rosie Jae Hale."

She stared up at me with those blue eyes, and I saw something small light inside them. Hope.

**Rosalie**

Going back to school was a nightmare. People stared at the marks on my face. I wore a long sleeved shirt and jeans to cover most of the bruises. But there was still my face and neck. At least there were no swollen areas that made me look deformed. Either way, I would have been judged by my peers. Where was Miranda. I wanna see her face. I am almost _certain_ that she knows about the bruises.

She was at the end of the hallway, laughing it up with her drones. Emmett had a slight frown on his face. He was thinking about something, I didn't know what. I wanted to ask him, but I couldn't bring myself to.

He stayed a little closer than the people at school were used to and I knew why. He was in his protective state. Miranda noticed immediately and her laughing ceased. Her hips swayed into every guy's attention and they all watched her ass move down the hall to us.

"Hey, Emmy," she said, trying to give him a kiss. He moved her back with his arm easily. She scoffed. "What... the fuck, Emmett."

"What is it that you wanted?" I asked.

"To say hi to my boyfriend, skank," she retorted with a scowl. "Nice face," she said, laughing. She did see my bruises. "What happened?" Rhetorical question. Fake. Not meant to be answered. Answer it, and you will be made a fool.

Emmett was getting angry. I could see it in my peripheral. His jaw was clenching and unclenching. "Back off, Miranda," he warned.

"No, it's okay, Emmett." I sighed.

She tried to move closer to him. His hand grabbed her arm, and from her facial expression, it was rather painful. "No, it's not okay. Back off, Miranda. Back off of Rosalie, and most importantly, back off of me. Back. Off."

He was pissed. Her eyes caught mine and they were shooting hatred. "But, Emmett..."

"Back. The. Fuck. Off. We are done. Through. Fin."

My jaw dropped. I was surprised at how angry Emmett was. He never got this angry. Ever. He never even got angry. Period. He was the happiest person that I had ever known. "Emmett?" I asked, a little scared of his reaction.

"What?" he asked.

"L-Let's get to class..." I said.

He backed away from Miranda and fell into step beside me. "I'm not in the mood to deal with a teacher. Stairs."

We went to the hideaway and sat opposite each other for a long, long time. People in the outside world were in third period. I wanted to move closer to Emmett, see if everything was okay. Every few minutes, I did just that, scooting only an inch at a time. Finally, I ended up next to him, and he grabbed my hand. He was sure to be gentle.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He shook his head slowly. "The way that they stared at you..."

I nodded, understanding. "Don't let it get to you."

"And then Miranda..." His hand twitched.

"Don't think about her," I said.

We didn't talk for a while after that. In the silence, we heard the kids out in the school shuffle to their next classes. I sighed ten minutes after the tardy bell rang.

"As soon as we graduate, Rosie... I'm taking you away from Falls..." he whispered.

I laid my head on his shoulder and said nothing more.


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N:) Seems like a worthy promise, right?**

**Well, here's chapter eight, anyway.**

**Emmett**

Basketball season was coming up and Rosalie was trying to encourage me to play. Half of me didn't wanna play this year, because I wanted to be there for her. I loved playing basketball and I was pretty damn good at it. But I hadn't touched a ball since last season. I'm not really in shape, but Coach Carnagie kept hinting at how I should be on the team this year.

Rosalie was coming out of her Government class and I wanted so desperately to hold her hand, but she still wasn't ready for publicity yet. I was okay with that. It's been about two and a half months since her rape, and luckily, the bruises were healing up nicely and she was starting to laugh again. But today, she had a slight frown on her face. I was determined to find out why and put a stop to this madness.

She seemed distant from me though. I don't know if she knows that I noticed, but she didn't really respond to my hug just now. I was tempted to call her out on it, but I didn't want to upset her more. I watched as she nibbled at her food at lunch and sighed.

"What's up, babe?" I asked her, loud enough so only she could hear.

She looked up at me and shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just tired."

"Bullshit. What's wrong?"

She looked up at me, half amused. "Royce is in my next class."

I looked down at my food. "Oh," I managed to say. I was barely containing my anger. "You done eating?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm not even hungry."

We dumped our food and walked out to the hideaway. I pulled her in close and kissed her softly. "Let me take your mind off of him," I whispered.

She laid her head on my chest and we sort of swayed. There was no music playing, but we had our own rhythm in our head. "I just don't feel like seeing him today."

"Hush. I've got you here, and I don't intend on letting you go just because of a stupid bell. We don't have to go to class right now," I replied.

She gave me the privelege of seeing those big blue eyes, and smiled tiredly. "Thank you, Emmett," she whispered.

Nothing was said after that. I had the idea that Rosalie was crying on me, but I didn't tell her that I knew that. I didn't ask questions. I just held her against me. We left the small room after an hour of silence and the bell rang shortly after. Royce was up ahead in the hallway, leaning against her locker with his friends. Miranda stood on the one side of him, and Laurent, the French foreign exchange student stood on the other. Victoria, a cheerleader with stunning red hair stayed pressed against Royce as if they were glued together.

It figures that they would be around Royce.

I heard Rosalie quietly whimper next to me and I mentally grimaced. He heard her though. He smiled smugly, looking me directly in the eyes. I filled with complete anger and my fists clenched. Fuck what everyone else will think when I take him out. He deserves it.

I swung on Royce and hit him in the nose. Just the perfect angle to break it. He groaned, but still had the smile on his face. I kept hitting him and hitting him, I didn't care. I will never care. He was throwing back some pretty good punches, but they weren't good enough to scar. He was weak.

"What the hell, Emmett? What are you hitting him for?" Miranda yelled.

I paused, but only for a second. Her voice made me slightly angrier.

"Stop, Emmett," Royce said spitting blood onto the floor.

I punched him again and his eyes rolled back. "That isn't even close to what you deserve," I seethed. Rosalie put her hand on my arm. I looked at her.

"Let's go," she said quietly.

She kept her hand on my arm as she walked with me to the office. No point in running away from this. Everyone saw it. Having Rosalie standing with me, her hand on my arm, it calmed me. I could think rationally now. What the hell did I just do?

"Fuck, I'm sorry, Rosie... I wasn't thinking straight. He got to me," I replied.

"It's okay. I know what has to happen now. Carlisle still has those pictures? The ones he took before Esme got home?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"They're part of the evidence now."

"Evidence?"

"You are going to have to tell the principal _why_ you knocked Royce out," she said.

I sighed. "I'm so sorry, Rosie." Her father was the sheriff of Falls. I looked down and rubbed my eyes with my hand.

Rosalie lifted my head up. Her eyes met mine and they were soft. She wasn't angry at me, which was the biggest relief that I had ever felt.

"It's okay, Emmett. I'll go in there with you."

Her lips on mine, were like my mother's peach cobbler. Heaven on Earth. I kissed her back, making sure that she felt all the love I felt for her. I didn't want to leave any ounce of it out. I wanted her to feel it all.

"I love you, Rosalie," I whispered, her forehead pressed against mine, her hand on my neck.

"Emmett, come on in," the Dr. Carter said, beckoning me into her office with a smile. "What's up?"

I sighed. Here we go.

**(A/N:) ****I don't really know why I chose to do this whole chapter in Emmett's point, it just seemed right, ya know? Well, I'd like to know what you think. I and mean, what you really, really think. Until next time...**

**Sayonara.**

**Review**

**xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**(****A/N:)**** Okay, so this story is getting pretty... I don't know. Rosalie is prepared for all the smothering that's about to happen. Emmett is still sorry for beating up Royce, because he knew his only reason for it was the rape. Ugh. Is it getting good yet? Here's Chapter Nine. -.-**

**Emmett**

My thumb rubbed the skin on the back of her hand. She was tensed up. Here we were. Sitting at the station. We used to sit here all the time as kids, but this time was different. This time, we were here for business. Mr. Hale was livid when he found out. I would be too. If I saw my daughter just going around with all these bruises, thinking it was just the doing of some horse... then finding out that it was a guy? That would have pissed me off too.

Rosalie was tired. I could tell. I pulled her up with me and we walked to the familiar break room. There was a couch in there that we used to jump on. I sat on it.

"Lay down, Rosie," I said.

She looked thankful and laid with her head in my lap. She sighed. "I'm so tired, Emmett."

I stroked her hair. "I know, baby. Just close your eyes for a while."

About an hour later, she was out. Mr. Hale found us in the break room and leaned against the counter.

"How is she?" he said tiredly.

"Tired," I replied.

"Why didn't you guys tell me? Or Elizabeth?" he asked.

"She didn't want this," I said, referring to the whole station. "She didn't want to be smothered with the 'I'm so sorry's and the 'Are you okay?'s. She just wanted to heal on her own time, and in her own way. In a way, she kinda has. I thought that I would die when I found her in the room. I said her name, Jack, and she... she..." Just the thought of her flinching at my voice brought tears to my eyes. "She _flinched_, Jack. It devastated me. When she recognized me, I was so relieved! She was another person in that room. I thought that I would never see her smile again. That's why she stayed the night at my house that week. She didn't wanna be alone. She couldn't stand it." I felt a tear fall to my hand and watched it slide it's way down into Rosalie's hair. I hadn't even known that I was crying.

Jack stared at me, processing what I had just said. "We need evidence, Emmett. Cold hard evidence. I believe you. But we have nothing but you guy's word and a few healing bruises."

I sighed. This is how guys like Royce tended to get away with these things. Looking down at Rosalie, I couldn't help but to get angry at the fact that Royce could walk away from this unscathed.

I didn't even notice the Larfke as he walked in. He eyed me, "Uh, boss..." he said.

"The King's would like to press charges..." Larfke answered, clearing his throat. "We have to arrest you for assault, sir."

I sighed. Somehow, this didn't surprise me at all. "There goes my chance at state." I laughed bitterly. "Can you, uh, help, Jack?" His jaw tightened, but he helped get Rosalie off of my lap without waking her up. "Do you have to cuff me, or can you just escort me or something..."

Larfke chuckled silently. "I trust you to walk into your cell like a good boy."

"Are you saying that I'm not capable of resisting arrest?" I asked, mocking anger.

He smiled. "Let's go."

I followed him to an empty cell. He locked me in and said good night. Royce was in the lobby. I saw him in my peripheral vision. I hit the door of my cell. This wasn't the end.

**Rosalie**

I made sure that the keys didn't make a noise as I made my way to 77. Nobody suspected anything, cause I was the sheriff's daughter. I saw him through the little one way window. Standing in the corner, staring off into space. A small smile made it's way onto my face. He was thinking.

I slid the key into the lock and held my breath.

"Baby," he sighed, walking over to me and wrapping me up in his strong bear arms.

I started to cry. He was locked in here and it's all my fault. "I'm sorry, Emmett... I'm so sorry..."

"This his my fault, not yours. Hush, don't cry... Please don't cry, Rosie..."

"I'm staying the night with you. Dad won't mind..."

"He'll let you stay, I'm sure of it."

He stood there, holding me for a good while. I don't how long. When my knees got weak, he laid on the small cot with me.

"Emmett?" I asked.

"Yes?" he replied.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He held me a tad bit tighter. "Rosalie?"

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

**(A/N): o:**

**Read and Review?**

**Please?**

**xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Rosalie's Point**

"Rose?" he asked.

I didn't know how to respond. I wanted to say yes, but the words couldn't come out, they were lodged in my throat somewhere. I looked up at him and his perfect eyes looked back down at me. His thumb wiped the tears from my eyes and he smiled. I didn't even know that I was crying.

"Oh, Emmett..." I replied, sighing his name... I nodded, because my voice seemed to lodge itself away again.

"I love you..." he whispered with the the biggest smile on his face that I had ever seen.

"I love you, too..." I replied.

He pulled me in close and I heard the lock unlatch behind us. I didn't turn to see who walked in, but Emmett shifted upward a bit.

"Well, howdy, sheriff!" he said with another smile.

"I thought that you might be in here, Rosie," my father said.

"Hi, daddy," I replied.

"What are you doing in here? You know you shouldn't be in the cell."

I shrugged. "Being with the man I love..."

Emmett pulled me up with him and we sat on his tiny cot holding hands. "I'm sorry, Jack... I didn't mean to lure her into my evil lair," he said with a small smile.

I looked up at my dad. He looked as mean as the devil, but was as friendly as a caterpillar. He looked down at me with a small smile. "Why, alright. Emmett, son, we're gonna need to interrogate you. Even though you had already come clean about the ordeal. Rosie, we'll have to ask you some questions as well as a witness."

"But, daddy, I didn't see anything. All I know is that one minute Em was behind me, the next he was punching Royce in the face..." I said.

Emmett squeezed my hand. "It's alright, honey. Just go in there and answer some of their questions... then you can wait in the lobby for me..."

I looked down at my feet and nodded. "When I get out into the lobby... what if Royce is still there?"

He tightened. "I don't know..." He put his hands on either sides of my face. "It'll be alright... I'm sure we'll figure something out."

His hands were so soft on my face, despite their roughness. I put my hand over one of his and closed my eyes.

"I love you," I said.

He smiled. "I love you too." Then he kissed me softly. Latke walked in. "I gotta go, baby."

I kissed him again, but I was sad to see him go. Dad looked at me. "I don't want to be questioned. I wasn't a witness. I didn't see anything. I would be no help, and I'm biased."

Dad just shook his head and walked me out. "Then you'll have to sit in the lobby. It'll be alright. I'll go get two cappuchinos from the breakroom and bring one out to you."

I sat on a chair and crossed my arms. I didn't see Royce anywhere, so that made things better. A woman walked up to me. She had a hard smile on her face, but I gave her the benifit of the doubt.

"Are you Rosalie?" she asked, her voice annoyingly high pitched and I knew that this wouldn't end well.

I nodded. "Yes."

"You little bitch! How dare you even _suggest_ that my baby _raped_ you? Who the fuck do you think you are?" she yelled.

"The sheriff's daughter, ma'am," my father interrupted. "Is there a problem?"

She turned on her heel and looked my father up and down. Somehow, I knew that she would end up with her nose in the air. "Well, your daughter is a lying little whore."

"Excuse me?" he asked.

Daddy was getting real mad, I could tell. His boot was tapping and the vein in his neck was starting to appear.

"She's lying about my son, Royce. She's going around, telling the WHOLE town that he's raped her... and I don't-"

"Now listen here, bitch... I know for a fact that you're Royce raped my Rosalie," I heard Emmett sneer his name. When had he come out into the lobby? "I found her after your ROYCE found her. She hasn't been home to her own house in days. Right now, Rosalie's room's being black lighted. Do you know what that means you snooty little gold digging whore?" She just tilted her head up higher and looked down at him. His voice got a little lower. "It means that they'll find all of _your Royce's_ semen, and the..." He paused. His voice got even lower. "And the other guys' semen on her wooden floors. Finding them all guilty."

Her mouth dropped and she just walked out of the station. I finally exhaled and I found myself unable to breathe. Emmett sat down beside me and held me in his arms. No one said anything Emmett just comforted me wordlessly like no other person could. He held me close and it seemed to work for me.

"Daddy... can I just have my coffee now?" I whispered.

He held it out and Emmett got it for me. "Listen.. Jack... for what I said... I apol-"

"It's okay, Emmett. I really appreciate what you did for my Rosie just then. That women had no right to just walk in here and talked to her that way," dad said.

I just sat there and sipped at my coffee until Emmett and I went back to his cell. I still couldn't say anything.

"When this finally goes down, when it's all over... I'm gonna make you my wife..." was all Emmett said.

That's all he needed to say.


	11. Chapter 11

**Emmett's POV**

I sighed. It's been a whole month since my fight with Royce, if you could call it a fight, anyway. This trial was getting ridiculous. The only witnesses that they had were Royce's friends and Miranda. I had a strong feeling that I was gonna go to jail for this. But Tanya would be calling Rose up soon, and once her story gets out, Royce would most likely go to jail too.

We were countersuing. If I had to rot in a jail cell for a little while, I would gladly do so if Royce got jail time for what he did.

The only thing keeping me sane at the moment was the knowledge that my girl was sitting directly behind me and was definitely going to be my wife someday. Oh well, back to the trial.

"The defense calls Rosalie Hale to the stand," my lawyer said. I heard shuffling as Rose stood up and made her way to the stand. After they sworn her in, she sat down and looked at Tanya. "Miss Hale," she began in her big time lawyer voice. "Can you tell me what happened the day of the altercation between my client and the plaintiff?"

Rosalie shifted and cleared her throat, but it took her a minute before she spoke. "Emmett and I were just walking down the hallway after school. I needed to get into my locker, but I couldn't."

"Why couldn't you get into your locker?" she asked.

"_He_ was in front of it..." she said. "And he was just standing there, as we approached. He was smirking at me..."

"He, meaning Mr. King?" Tanya asked.

Rose nodded. "He was smirking at me. It made me feel like... like... everyone _knew_ about... about... _it_," she replied.

"It?" Tanya looked confused, although she knew exactly what Rosalie was talking about. "What do you mean, Miss Hale?"

"That he..." she said softly. She shifted again. Her eyes were on me, and she was fighting back tears. She was scared. She didn't want to tell anyone about this. I knew she was scared. I did this. Nobody would ever have known, she would have never been put in this position, if it weren't for me. "That he _raped me_. He _raped_ me..." She closed her eyes and the side of her face glistened in the sunlight. She was crying. God, I'm such an idiot. I heard a few people gasp lightly behind me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Tanya spoke.

"What happened next?"

Rosalie inhaled deeply and looked at the floor. "Emmett saw him standing there, smirking. He just all of a sudden left my side. It all happened so fast. The next I knew, Royce was out cold.. I calmed Emmett down a bit and we walked to the office, where he alerted the principal of what he had done."

"You didn't ask my client to harm the plaintiff in any way?" Tanya asked.

"No! I just wanted to be left alone! I didn't want the looks of sympathy, or the dirty looks of contempt, or the fragile talking and walking around me," she said. "I just wanted to be left alone..." she added softly.

"No further questions."

Tanya came back and sat next to me. I hated the thought of Rose being questioned by Royce's lawyer, Aro. From what I heard, he could be pretty vicious. He could catch anyone in a lie. Good thing Rose wasn't lying.

Tanya squeezed my knee and whispered softly, "Don't worry, defense of others makes sense now that they know what happened. They have the evidence from her room, no worries."

He approached the stand with a certain swagger in his step. "Miss Hale," he said confidently. "You say that you didn't want... 'dirty looks.' If you were raped by my client, as you had said that you were, why would you have gotten looks of contempt? When someone is... caught... in such a predicament, people are usually oversympathetic to them, are they not?"

"That would be true, Mr. Volterre, but Royce is the most beloved cousin of Miranda, who is the most influential person at my school. They pretty much worship her. Do you really think she'd believe me? Would any of them believe me? She hates me and it's my word against his," Rosalie replied.

Aro opened his mouth, then closed it. He was baffled. Shocked. Disoriented, even. "No further questions."

He sat back down. For the first time, Aro Volterre hadn't been able to catch someone in a fictional lie. Fourth day of trials, and things finally started to look up for us.

Next, Tanya called up my father. He explained to them, both lawyers, about the moment when Rose and I went to him. The damage he saw, the wounds and many bruises she had. He was very confident up there, Volterre didn't scare him.

The next day, Aro called Miranda up. She did something that I never would have expected. When Tanya asked her about her relationship with Rosalie she dropped her shoulders, took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to speak.

"Emmett was my boyfriend. Rosalie was his best friend. I was so... jealous. Jealous of how close they were. I tried cutting them off. It worked for a while. I could tell that she was so in love with him. I didn't want her around him. He would have left me for her if he knew." She paused to breathe. "Well, when I found out that Royce and his family came to town, he saw her picture at Bluebird, the cafe. He wanted her. He thought she was hot, so I told him that I'd hook them up. When they were together, I thought everything was well. But I guess it wasn't. Royce went to pick her up from school one day. He got to school late, but Rosalie didn't come to school that day at all. Something about Royce changed that day, I could tell. so I demanded that he tell me. He told me that he took what belong to him and he never felt _better_. He said that he would even go back for more of what he owned, and that he had to wait for the right time. When Rosalie came to school, I saw the bruises on the back of her neck." Miranda started to cry a bit. "Nobody knew they were there, I'm pretty sure, well, except Emmett, and Carlisle, I guess. I only saw them because she lifted her hair up in the bathroom and ran her finger across them, wincing a bit. I walked out, right after, quietly so that she didn't see me. I cried for her when I reached my car." She paused for breath again. "It was all my fault. I shouldn't have obliged Royce..." She swatted at the tears.

"The defense rests," Tanya responded.

The trial would be over soon.

"Any other questions, counselor?" the judge asked Aro.

"None, Your Honor."

Tanya and Aro finished up with their closing statements and the court room was silent. When they were finished, the judge cleared his throat.

"So be it. Court will be in recess till 9:00 A.M. tomorrow morning where we will find the verdict. Court is adjourned," he replied, hitting his gavel. I stood up and held my arms out for Jack to cuff me. I looked at Rosalie and gave her a reassuring smile. She tried to return it, but I knew she was just as scared as I was. Most likely more.

**Rosalie's POV**

I sighed as I sat on the bench just outside the court room. He was strumming knee lightly with his fingertips.

"Daddy?" I asked softly.

"I know you wanna go see him, honey, but you can't. Plus, court starts soon," he replied. I huffed. Five more minutes, and we'd find out the jury's verdict.

I missed Emmett. I want to take him home and hold him close to me until my arms grew numb. Sooner or later, we were allowed in. I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until I saw Emmett and it all rushed out. He looked just as anxious as I felt.

"Mr. McCarty, in the case charged against you, how do you plead?" the judge asked.

"Guilty, Your Honor, but in the defense of another," Emmett's voice replied.

"Jury, what is your verdict?" The baliff walked the little slip of paper to the judge. He opened it, raised his eyebrows and handed it back to the baliff, who took it back to the juror. "Please read it aloud."

"In the case of Royce King v. Emmett McCarty, we find the defendant not guilty, he stated.

The court room stayed respectfully quiet, but I couldn't help the glee I was feeling inside.

"Mr. King, for the charges brought against you, how do you plead?" the judge asked.

"Not guilty of all charges," he replied. I was disgusted.

The judge went through the same things with the jury as he did a few minutes ago. The woman read from the small slip of paper.

"In the case of the state of Texas v. Royce King, we find him guilty of sexual assault and rape," she stated.

The judge looked at Royce and opened his mouth to speak. "The jury has found Mr. King guilty. He is to be taken into custody, where he will wait for his date of sentencing..."

"Uh, Your Honor, my client wishes to be sentenced immediately," Aro said.

"Alright. Counselor, do you have any problem with this?" Tanya shook her head no. "Royce King, I sentence you to nine and a half years in the state penitentiary with no chance of parole. You will have to enter your name into the database and be registered as a sexual offender. Mr. McCarty, you are free to go." He banged his gavel three times, and I silently rejoiced in my head as I felt Emmett's bear arms around me.

"We did it," he whispered into my ear.

"I love you..." I replied.

He smiled softly. "I love you too."


	12. Epilogue

**Emmett's POV**

"C'mon, beautiful, it's time to hit the road!" I yelled.

"I'm coming, babe. Don't worry!" she yelled.

We were all packed up and headed for Washington. We were both accepted to Washington State, where we had been pining for all along. We were going there now, at the beginning of summer, so that we could get a feel for the place and know where things were. Jasper had travelled up there earlier with me to apartment search, so we could find a building close to the school. Success! We had everything packed and ready to go. The movers were all ready to go.

Rosalie was walking from the stables after saying goodbye to her horse. Accompanying her, was Tomas and James, on either side of her, each with an arm looped through hers.

They kissed her on the cheek as they approached the car. "You take care of our little girl, now, you hear?" James replied.

I smiled. "I intend on it." Looking down at her, her eyes sparkled like they did before all of the craziness happened. Our parents hugged us one last time, as did Pops and his lot. After the great goodbyes, I believed we were ready.

"It's time to start our life. Together," I said softly.

"Forever," she replied.

We hooked pinkies like we did when we were younger. Still holding our pinky swear, she leaned up, I leaned down, and we kissed. It was the second most best kiss of my life. The first, was yet to come.

**(A/N:) Arghh... It's over y'all. Big smiles! Did you like the ending? Did you get the ending? "The first, was yet to come." ? He means the kiss they'll first share as husband and wife. WHICH will most**

**likely**

**happen**

**in**

**the**

**SEQUEL**

**that I have planned for you lovely people. (:**

**YAY! Excited?**

**-shoots confetti***

**No? Too much? Okay. (:**

**Well, I guess...**

**This is a Goodbye, Farewell, Adieu, Ciao, Au revoir, Adios kind of thing.**

**Sayonara, my friends, fans, and lovers. :P**

** For now. (:**

**xx**


	13. Check This Out!

Okay, you guys. I love you, you know that I do.

So.

Go check out the poll on my page.

It will decide the title of my sequel.

It should be up, loves.

Enjoy. (:


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